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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 1985)
Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, November 6, 1985 Opinion A&M should offer dearees for followers of tradition According to most Aggies, tra ditions are the most important as- pect of life at Texas A&M. Look at the let ters to the editor on any day, there is almost always a letter replying to some other letter this degree will be able to interpet the fo true meaning of the traditions for the masses. Like most early religions, the traditions ar£ not available to the masses and must be administered by select lead ers. Karl Pallmeyer or column about traditions. The letter usually says something like: “I came to Texas A&M because of the traditions. They are what makes Texas A&M dif ferent from any other school.” • Traditions Language. A person with this degree will be able to translate Aggie terminology into English. • Traditions History. A person with this degree will be able to research into the backgrounds of different traditions and become an authority on traditions. This is a hard degree to get since the traditions are not written down. Because so many people come to Texas A&M for the traditions I think it’s a shame that this school doesn’t offer a degree in traditions. Here’s a list of tra ditions degrees that I propose the Uni versity should offer: • Traditions Management. A person with this degree will be able to show cor porations how to run their business according to Aggie traditions. Of course the Aggie Code of Honor (Aggies don’t lie, cheat, steal or tolerate those who do) does not apply to business • Traditions Religion. A person with • Traditions Education. A person with this degree will be able to educate future generations of Aggies about tra ditions. • Traditions Music. A person with this degree will be able to perform Ag gie songs in public. An easy degree since there are only three Aggie songs. • Traditions Distribution. A person with this degree will be able to spread Aggie traditions across the rest of the state and the world. • Traditions Engineering. A person with this degree will be able to build upon old traditions to make new ones. • Traditions journalism. A person with this degree will be able to write only good things about Texas A&M. Some one seeking a degree in Traditions Journalism would be in demand by those who want to see The Battalion be come more reflective of the opinions of the student body. Once people complete their degree in Traditions Journalism they can get a job writing for the Texas Aggie, the magazine for rich, old Ags. • Traditions Law. A person with this degree will be sought after by the Uni versity administration. A Traditions Lawyer will be able to plead a case on the basis of “good bull” or “bad bull.” A Traditions Judge will be needed to de termine if the case in questions is “ha zing” or “motivational exercises”. A Traditions Judge will be able to deter mine if someone is a “two percenter” or should be told “Highway 6 runs both ways.” This would be the traditional degrees offered by the College of Traditions. More degrees might be added later. Unfortunatly there can never be a de gree in Traditions Philosophy. Philoso phy requires asking questions and every one knows you don’t question tradition. Karl Pallmeyer is a senior journalism major and a columnist for The Battal ion. BROKEN RECORPS Reagan's heavy schedule won't be getting any lighter President Reagan, who has suffered embarrassment for incidents later blamed on a grueling Michael Putzel AP News Analyst schedule, will end his six-day trip to Eu rope for the U.S.-Soviet summit meet ing with a day to remember. Reagan, 74, whose travel schedule has intensified dramatically since he un derwent surgery for colon cancfer in July, will function at a measured pace in the days leading up to his two days of talks with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorba chev in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 19 and 20. the morning, have a quiet lunch in Ge neva, then fly to Brussels, Belgium, to report to the allies at NATO headquar ters, cross the Atlantic and — taking ad vantage of the six-hour time change — go straight to Capitol Hill to report to Congress and the American people on prime-time television before going home to the White House for the night. bate with Democrat Walter Mondale last year. It is a day reminiscent of the four-city European jaunt he made in 1982 on the day he was photographed nodding off during his meeting with Pope John Paul II. Reagan was dogged for months by the off-hand comment of an adviser who acknowledged the president some times fell asleep in Cabinet meetings. “The president can travel well,” said one White House aide, speaking about the post-summit plan. “He can have a light dinner leaving Brussels, get into his p.j.’s and catch four or five hours sleep on the plane.’’ But on the day of his departure, he is expected to bid the Soviets farewell in His wife, Nancy, maintained it was the intensive briefing and rehearsal schedule that tired her husband and cost him dearly in his first campaign de- The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference The Battalion Editorial Board Rhonda Snider, Editor Michelle Powe, Managing Editor Loren Steffy, Opinion Page Editor Karen Bloch, City Editor John Hallet, Kay Mallett, News Editors Travis Tingle, Sports Editor Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community service to Texas A&M and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those Of the Editorial Board or the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Department of Communications. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holiday and examina tion periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates fur nished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Reagan does have a sleeping cabin aboard Air Force One, but there are those who will wonder how he will be able to stand before a joint session of Congress and deliver an important speech at what — to his body clock — will be about 3 a.m. And that day will crown two days of the most intensive, most critical meetings of his career. The last day apparently became jammed by two unrelated events that disrupted weeks of meticulous planning designed to present Reagan to Gorba chev in his best fighting trim and bring him home in time to relax for a few days before flying to California for the Thanksgiving holiday. The decision to add the address to Congress was based in part on prece dent and in part on a desire to get the U.S. side of the summit story out as soon as possible after the event, sources said. And the night of Reagan’s return was the last night the House could be called into session without many members be ing on their way home for Thanksgiv ing. Michael Putzel is the White House cor respondent for The Associated Press. Mail Call Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must be signed and must include the address and telephone number o( the writer. Disrespect may cancel future street dances EDITOR: On Thursday the Residence Hall Association presented another eve of festive events known as RHAlloween for the dorm residents. This year, as Director of Programs, it was my responsibility to plan and organize the events. The costume contests went off without a hitch, and the dorm trick- or-treating was a bit messy, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. But when it comes to the street dance, I feel I owe an apology to the residents of Hart Hall, the faculty and staff of the Physics anti Nagle build ings and the ground maintenance crew. I have never been so appalled at the actions of fellow Ags to speak out against them. But on-campus Aggies know that no alcohol is allowed outside dorm rooms. Needless to say, not just a couple, but quite a few people who came to tc the street dance brought with them alcohol in various forms of containers. And at their will, disposed of these containers wherever they pleased. This not only happened at the dance, but also throughout campus the grounds had been littered with cans and bottles. I cannot believe Aggies were so disrespectful to the rules and people who brought them this program, let alone to their school. Many hours were spent in preparation along with many dollars. Next year, I would not be surprised to see such a program removed from the calendar. Again, I apologize to everyone who had to look at Parking Annex 19 the next morning. If I had to plan it all over again, it never would have been. Soozi Coomes RH A Director of Programs Put the wood to better use EDITOR: As I write this I am looking out over a large field covered with oak tim ber —I estimate some 500 tons of wood. It is to be destroyed on the occa sion of a football game between two institutions of "higher” education. From its burning will come no product that can repay its cost to the land from which it was taken. Should not A&M students know better than anyone the worth of natu ral resources and the insanity of throwing them away in obscene displays of wealth? Take the thousands of hours of labor, the machine time and the fuel mandered in the squandered in the preparations for this bonfire and put them into some effort that will be of genuine use to human beings. Then if you must have _ . _ „ 1 y a fire, pile up the money represented by all this work and burn it. Why should the forest pay for your football rivalries? Jim Nelson ’88 Different perspectives on the same is sue EDITOR: In her letter, “A Generic University,” Stephanie Hillard’s “simple solu tion” is nothing but the product of a simple mind. Stephanie’s approach sounds all too familiar: “Here’s what I believe, and if you don’t agree with me, you can leave!” This disputatious rationale belongs in the overflowing “generic student” club. Stephanie, what is your beef over the Corps of Cadets? You are very correct when you cite their seemingly strange activities and traditions, and the fact that they are the “backbone of our traditions and that unquencha ble Aggie spirit” as reasons for A&M’s uniqueness. This is, however, nothing new, Stephanie. Why don’t you address the many reasons for A&M’s lack of academic greatness. If people like your- addressing the many wants in this vhi self would spend just as much energy in academic community, we might actually get somewliere. While this school has great potential (mostly in the form of big bucks being channeled to non-academic recipients), it will never be tapped as long as people like yourself look only at school spirit, as opposea to aca- :xcelle demic excellence. Stephanie, you are also correct when you state that our MSG is a me morial. But if your memorial is also a “living room,” which you described as a “place of relaxation and togetherness,” why can’t my memorial be a bar, which I describe as a place of relaxation and togetherness. Don’t you see the point? Your perspective and my perspective are dif ferent, and yet, the MSG belongs to both of us. So what gives you the right to tell me to leave? Also, your statement that most of the under classmen wouldn’t be able to enjoy the MSG next year because of the probable in crease in the drinking age is erroneous. Can’t you conceive of there being a bar in the MSG, thus allowing all students to “enjoy the MSG itself?” Moreover, the MSG is already a “noisy, rowdy” place. A bar would make little difference. Having made it clear that I disagree with most of what you say, and disagree completely in the manner you say it, am I supposed to tell you “go to t.u.?” No, the solution is really not that simple. Chuck Corbett Let’s show some band manners EDITOR: I just wanted to complain about how we Aggies acted toward the SMU band: Our band is the greatest, but does this mean that there are no other good bands out there? Of course not. The SMU band is one example: a fun, jazzy band worth our attention. However, the Ags in my section were so busy jeering, whistling, booing and cheering for the twirler’s mistakes that I don’t think they even hearo the Mustang Band. (They made it hard for me to hear them, too) To top it all off, the seniors in boot line booed the band members as they walked by us. That’s real cool. Any band that goes to the trouble to present a show for us deserves some basic good manners whether we like them or not. If we don’t respect qther bands, how can we expect other schools to respect our band? I al ways thought Ags were good sports. Granted, we don’t throw things (I hope) and slash tires, but I don’t see how we can whine about other schools’ rude behavior when we are just as rude. Holly McGuire ’86